Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Goji fruits (Lycium barbarum L.) Cultivated in Serbia.

OBJECTIVE: Goji fruit extracts, methanol (MGE) and hexane (HGE), were subjected to evaluation as potential source of phenolic antioxidants and antiradical activity. METHODS: Some phenolic compounds (gallic, protocatechuic, vanillic, chlorogenic, coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acid and catechin and rutin), vitamin C and carotenoids were identified and quantified by HPLC. Antioxidant activity was tested by measuring ability to scavenge DPPH and hydroxyl radicals. Also, reducing power of goji fruit extracts was determined. RESULTS: HPLC analysis results showed predominance of gallic acid (40.44 mg/g g.f). Vitamin C content in MGE was 716.91 mg vitC/100 g g.f. IC50DPPH· varied from 26.64 µmolTEAC/g for HGE to 62.15 µmolTEAC/g for MGE, while RP0.5 values varied from 952.23 µmolTEAC/g for MGE to 1360.48 mg/mL for HGE. IC50·OH for MGE was 1844.01 µmolTEAC/g. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the use of goji fruits as rich sources of phytochemicals for further utilization in the food industry as supplements and functional food ingredients.

Bioactivity of Meeker and Willamette raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) pomace extracts.

Taking into account the substantial potential of raspberry processing by-products, pomace extracts from two raspberry cultivars, Meeker and Willamette, were investigated. Total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents were determined. Willamette pomace extract (EC50=0.042 mg/ml) demonstrated stronger 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl DPPH radical-scavenging activity than did Meeker pomace extract (EC50=0.072 mg/ml). The most pronounced cell growth inhibition effect was obtained in the breast adenocarcinoma cell line, reaching EC50 values of 34.8 and 60.3 µg/ml for Willamette and Meeker extracts, respectively. Both extracts demonstrated favourable non-tumor/tumor cell growth ratios and potently increased the apoptosis/necrosis ratio in breast adenocarcinoma and cervix carcinoma cells. In reference and wild bacterial strains, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were achieved in a concentration range from 0.29 to 0.59 mg/ml, and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) in a range from 0.39 to 0.78 mg/ml. The results indicate significant antioxidant, antiproliferative, proapoptotic and antibacterial activities of raspberry pomace and favour its use as a functional food ingredient.

Antiradical, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of commercial beetroot pomace.

The by-product of food processing is often utilized as feed, and for the preparation of dietary fiber and biofuel. However, these products are also promising sources of bioactive antioxidants and color giving compounds, which could be used as additives in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical profile, and the antiradical, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of industrial beetroot pomace extract (BPE). The content of phenolics (45.68 mg gallic acid equivalents g(-1)), flavonoids (25.89 mg rutin equivalents g(-1)) and betalains (4.09 mg betanin g(-1); 7.32 mg vulgaxanthin I g(-1)) were determined spectrophotometrically. The antiradical activity on DPPH (EC(50)(DPPH·) = 0.0797 mg ml(-1)), hydroxyl (EC(50)(·OH) = 0.0655 mg ml(-1)) and superoxide anion (EC(50)(O2·-) = 1.0625 mg ml(-1)) radicals were measured by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activity was determined using the agar-well diffusion method. Gram(-) bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Citrobacter freundii) and Gram(+) bacteria, (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus sciuri, Bacillus cereus) showed high susceptibility, while yeasts and moulds were resistant. BPE exhibits cytotoxic properties against Ehrlich carcinoma (EAC) cells in vivo due to induction of oxidative stress. The largest decreases in EAC cell numbers were observed in the pre-treated male (approximately 53%) and female (approximately 47%) mice, and also the EAC cell viability was decreased after administration of BPE. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes, xanthine oxidase (XOD) and peroxidase (Px), were significantly different between the untreated EAC control group and all other groups that were treated with BPE. The XOD and Px activities were very low in untreated malignant cells, but increased significantly after administration of BPE. Our results show that BPE holds promise in the food industry as a source of bioactive compounds.

Antioxidative and antiproliferative activities of different horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) extracts.

In this study we investigated antioxidative and antiproliferative activity of different horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) extracts. The antioxidative activity was measured by the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy-spin trapping method. The influence of different horsetail extracts during lipid peroxidation of (1) sunflower oil induced by the lipophilic azo-initiator 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid) and (2) soybean phosphatidylcholine liposomes induced by the hydrophilic azo-initiator 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride was studied. Antiproliferative activity was measured using the sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay on the human cancer cell lines HeLa, HT-29, and MCF7. The results of ESR analysis confirmed that the extracts investigated suppressed the formation of lipid peroxyl radicals in both systems investigated in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that n-butanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, and water extracts had significant peroxyl radical scavenging activity. Extracts inhibited cell growth that was dependent on cell line, type of extract, and extract concentration. Ethyl acetate extract exhibited the most prominent antiproliferative effect, without inducing any cell growth stimulation on human tumor cell lines. The results obtained suggest that the horsetail extracts could be used as an easily accessible source of natural antioxidants and as potential phytochemicals.

Antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activities of Teucrium montanum.

The antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activities of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water extracts of Teucrium montanum were investigated. Ethyl acetate, chloroform and n-butanol extracts expressed a wide range of inhibiting activity against both Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria. n-Butanol extract possessed potent DPPH free radical scavenging activity.